AfroTools / Developer Tools / JWT Decoder

Decode JWTs locally and catch the dangerous parts.

Paste a compact JWT to inspect header, payload, timing claims, JOSE risk signals and signature status. Nothing is uploaded, and this page never follows token header URLs.

Local decoding Claim timeline HS signature verify Security checklist

Token Input

Client-side only. Do not paste production secrets into shared machines.

Decoded JSON

Decode is not verification. Use the signature panel before trusting claims.
Header

          
Payload

          

HS Signature Verification

Supports HS256, HS384 and HS512 with a pasted shared secret. RS, ES and EdDSA need public key verification in your app.

Local HS256 Test Token Generator

For local development only. It signs in the browser with the secret you enter.
Token debug check

Decoding is not the same as validation

Decode header and payload locally, inspect registered claims, review timeline status, and copy safe debugging notes without sharing raw tokens.

Local decode

A pasted token is not sent by the decoder itself.

What to check

  • Methodology: split the token locally, base64url-decode header and payload, then compare claim timing and expectations before backend validation.
  • Verify issuer, audience, expiry, not-before, algorithm, key id, scopes, and server-side signature validation.
  • Use only redacted or test tokens in screenshots, support tickets, documentation, and chat.
  • Confirm backend validation behavior with the real auth provider or API gateway before trusting claims.

Limitations

  • Disclaimer: local debug utility only. Decoded payload text is not proof that a token is valid or authorized.
  • HS signature checks need the exact development secret and do not cover asymmetric JWKS workflows.
  • Never paste production bearer tokens, refresh tokens, client secrets, or private keys into shared output.
Review claim timeline

Source/reference note: verify auth behavior against current identity-provider docs, JWKS metadata, API gateway rules, and backend tests.

Does decoding a JWT prove it is valid?

No. Decoding only base64url-decodes JSON. A token is trustworthy only after the signature, issuer, audience, expiration and application-specific rules are validated by the relying application.

Why does this tool refuse to fetch jku or x5u URLs?

JWT headers can contain arbitrary URLs. Blindly following them can create server-side request forgery and key-confusion problems. This page surfaces those URLs as risk signals instead of fetching them.

Can I verify RS256 or ES256 here?

This page verifies HMAC-based HS tokens only. Public-key algorithms should be verified with the issuer public key or trusted JWKS in your backend or a dedicated local security workflow.